Vouvray and Montlouis tuffeau cellars

In 1665, Colbert ordered a royal wine route to supply Paris; Vouvray casks shipped from the Rochecorbon landing, just 6 km from Tours. Beneath these slopes, miles of tuffeau galleries keep bottles at a steady 12 °C. Across the river, Montlouis gained AOC status in 1938 and faces Vouvray head‑on: the same Chenin grape, different exposures, which explains crisp sparkling wines and ageworthy sweet styles, all nurtured in troglodyte cellars sunk 20–30 meters into the chalk.

Collected from your hotel in Tours, you settle into a Mercedes while your dedicated driver handles the roads and timing. The route flexes by traffic, linking both banks in 15–20 minutes and securing appointment‑only tastings and time with a winemaker. We cross via Pont Wilson or Pont de l’Aquitaine as needed. You stroll briefly, your driver waits at each stop, and purchases are kept cool in the trunk. Plan on four hours, with an easy return if a cuvée deserves an encore.